Although the DC Universe might be filled with all kinds of bizarre inventions, few -- if any -- can seem as head-scratching Wonder Woman’s infamous Invisible Plane.
With a history that stretches back to the very beginnings of the DC Universe, Wonder Woman has gone through quite a few upheavals in her superhero career. While she's always had gadgets like the Lasso of Truth, the Invisible Jet has had a more intermittent role in the Amazon hero's life. While it's been a central part of her superhero mission in some eras, the very idea of it seems to age as well as milk on a hot summer's day when Diana can fly.
In Wonder Woman's early days, Diana’s plane was originally conceived of by Wonder Woman creators William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter during an era where flight wasn’t a de facto superpower in comics. It served as one of her primary modes of transportation until her powers expanded and she finally gained the ability to "ride air currents" in 1958's Wonder Woman #98, by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru.
After Crisis on Infinite Earths rebooted the DC Universe in the 1980s, Wonder Woman could fly without assistance by the grace of the Greek god Hermes, which effectively rendered the jet itself virtually useless. However, that wasn't the end of the Invisible Jet.
As detailed in John Byrne's story in 1998's Wonder Woman: Secret Files #1, the Invisible Planet was a gift from subterranean mole people, bestowed upon Diana for saving them. This ship is of extraterrestrial origin, and it originally had the ability to shapeshift and create oxygen during interstellar travel. It also responded to its environment and had the capability of launching projectiles, although these would take mass from the plane itself, and thus could only be used sparingly.
The plane itself would later garner its own name, the Wonder Dome, as a silent but intelligent disk that could transform into whatever Diana forms needed through a telepathic link. Although powerful, it would meet an end in Greg Rucka and Shane Davis' Wonder Woman #201, where a tidal wave threatened Themyscira. Transforming itself into an amplifier, the Wonder Dome helped save the land of the Amazons by boosting the shockwave created by Diana’s bracelets to stop the natural disaster. However, this action that rendered it effectively dead, with its remains formed into the iconic invisible jet.
Still, the Invisible Jet was capable of flying from the Earth’s subsurface to orbiting our planet in seconds. It can also adapt to harsh environments and make its passengers seem invisible too.
In the modern DC Universe, the Invisible Jet has been a modified version of the plane that Steve Trevor flew to the Amazons' island, and it's also been a new creation of DC's young genius Natasha Irons. Although it doesn't presently have its extraterrestrial origin, Wonder Woman's current Invisible Jet can still transform into a space-worthy vehicle.
Even though Wonder Woman can fly, the Invisible Jet still has its uses in modern continuity. The Invisible Plane stands as one of the most memorable parts of Wonder Woman's mythology, and Diana never keeps its wheels on the ground for too long.